Automatic wrapping machine for reels



Sept. 16, 1969 u. CUPPINI 3,466,848

AUTOMATIC WRAPPING MACHINE FOR REELS Filed June 29. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 16, 1969 u, cu 3,466,848

AUTOMATIC WRAPPING MACHINE FOR REELS Filed June 29, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet United States Patent 3,466,848 AUTOMATIC WRAPPING MACHINE FOR REELS Ubaldo Cuppini, Bologna, Italy, assignor to C. M. Di Cuppini Ubaldo & C. Soc. Ace. SempL, Bologna, Italy, an Italian company Filed June 29, 1966, Ser. No. 561,469 Claims priority, application Italy, July 1, 1965, 14,605/65; June 3, 1966, 12,320/66 Int. Cl. B65b 11/14, 49/00; B6511 81/00 US. Cl. 53204 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automatic wrapping machine for reels in which a reel together with its wrapper is subjected to mechanism for folding the wrapper about the reel, after which the wrapper portions projecting beyond the other end of the reel are deformed sinuously into a single tail, and further mechanism inserts the tail into the central hole of the reel. The thus wrapped reel is then removed from the machine.

The present invention relates to an automatic wrapping machine for reels, spools and the like for yarns, threads, et cetera.

Generally, according to the invention, the reels which are to be wrapped in a continuous and automatic manner, are introduced into the machine by a feed mechanism, guided together with the corresponding wrappers in unprocessed form to pass through elements are arranged to draw and deform the wrappers, and through a clamping or analogous device, so that a punch coacts with the wrappers to tuck or fit the wrappers securely into the central hole of the reel.

Specifically, the wrapping paper introduced into the machine by the feed mechanism is cut automatically into lengths corresponding to the size of the reels, and thereafter positioned into contact with one head of the reel. The assembly is then moved into a mechanism equipped with resilient radial brushes or the like arranged to fold the wrapping paper around the reel. The portions of the paper projecting beyond the other end of the reel are pressed and curled to an S-shape or analogous shape by sets of blades which are arranged in parallelism and capable of sliding movement between each other.

Each reel is thereupon guided into a clamping device arranged to perform an adjustable action in a resilient manner, which, upon rotation brings the reel into position for allowing the punch to insert the S-shaped so-called tail of the wrapper into the central hole of the reel. Further rotation of the clamping device causes the wrapped reel to be placed in position whereby an ejector expels the reel from the machine.

Furthermore, a conveyor is employed outside of the machine for the reels and is provided with bearers or the like, adjustable to the dimensions of the reels.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following specification and annexed drawings and in which drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view partly broken away of the machine as a Whole mounted on a support or bench,

FIGURE 2 is a detailed view in elevation of the blades arranged to form the S-shaped tail of the wrapper,

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the device arranged to operate the blades illustrated in FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective of the device employed to control the length of the paper sheets,

FIGURE 5 is a view in perspective of the conveyor on which the reels, ,spools or the like are carried, and

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of one of the clamping mechanisms arranged on the rotary unit shown in FIG- URE 1.

An assembly 2 for drawing paper from a roll or drum 31 is arranged on adjustable uprights 4 mounted above a support or bench 1. An electric or other motor which may, if desired be equipped with a reduction gear is located beneath the bench 1. The assembly 2 causes the paper to pass a shearing mechanism 3 arranged to operate synchronously with other elements. The paper is cut to the appropriate length when a reel, spool or the like 8 supplied by means of a conveyor mechanism 6 is positioned in front of a piston 7. When the piston 7 is extended, the piston inserts the reel together with the cut wrapper into a unit 9.

The unit 9 is provided on its periphery with sets of radial brushes 10, which are robust and resilient and by virtue thereof the paper 5 covers the surface of the reel 8 with a certain tension. The paper thus acquires folds or creases along the reel 8, and its extremities project sufficiently beyond the reel for the complete enclosure of the reel.

The reel remains guided by means of a so called sliding grapple or the like 12, and advances until it is held to gether with a wrapper in a resilient clamping device 13. The reel remains in this position until after a shaping device 11 constituted by pairs of sets of blades 11a and 11b arranged alternately in parallel relationship to slide in opposite directions, is activated. The blades 11a and 11b which are arranged in a comb-like fashion facing each other, remain spaced apart to allow the reel and its wrapper to pass, after which the combs are brought together so that their blades deform the paper projecting beyond the end of the reel 8 into a sinuous shape or tail in front of the center of the reel with the appropriate tension. The combs then open again, and a unit 15 carrying the clamps 13 rotates through 90 around spindle 14 in the direction indicated by the arrow to bring the clamp carrying the reel to a vertical position.

A linkage including arms 19 and 21 is employed to lower a so-called finishing head together with a punch 22 to force the paper twisted to an S-shape into the central hole of the reel for a permanent closing of the wrapping.

A further rotation of the unit 15 through 90 moves the clamp carrying the reel into the right-hand horizontal position, and the finished reel 8 is removed from the clamp by means of an appropriate extractor actuated by means of elements 23 and 24.

The above operation follow each other continuously so that each of the clamps arranged on the unit 15 rotates through 90 at the correct time. The arrangement is such that for each 90 rotation of the unit 15 one clamp will grip one reel together with its wrapper, under the action of the piston 7.

In order to enable the machine to be adjusted to the various sizes of the reels, the device shown in FIGURE 4 is employed to control the length of the cut paper wrapper. A cam defined by parts 26, 26' is arranged on a shaft received in a slot 27 in the hub thereof. The slot 27, in combination with a screw setting device 28, allows the eccentricity of the cam part 26 relative to the shaft 25 to be adjusted thus adjusting the stroke of a toothed sector 29 which coacts with the device. The teeth of the sector 29 mesh with the teeth of a gear 30 mounted with the interpolation of a free-wheel mechanism on the shaft of the roll or drum 31. The adjustment of the device permits the length of paper to be cut by the shearing mechanism 3 to be pre-set.

In FIGURE 5 is illustrated the details of the conveyor mechanism 6 arranged to feed the reels into the machine.

The mechanism comprises a flat rectangular base 32 provided with a pair of fixed posts 33 at its opposite ends, and parallel upper and lower lead screws 34 are rotatably mounted in the posts. Displaceable sectors 35 are provided with threaded apertures which correspond to the screw thread of the screws 34. The distance between each pair of sectors 35 can be adjusted by a member 37 mounted at one end of the upper lead screw 34 via intermeshing gears 36 on the upper and lower lead screws. Hence, the sectors 35 can be adjusted to the size of reels 38.

In the lower part of the conveying mechanisms, a carriage 33' is arranged to oscillate periodically both vertically and horizontally, and causes the reels to advance step by step for insertion one by one into the machine.

In FIGURE 6 is illustrated one of the clamps 13 carried by the unit 15. Each clamp is defined by a ring 1311 within which is free to move concentrically a rotatable ring 39 actuable by a handle 40. Rotation of the handle 40 in one direction or the other allows co-action between sliding planes 41a with a tail or projection 41' of a fork of lever 41 carrying roller 43. The fork is pivoted to the ring 13a at 42 and is equipped with a return spring. To guide a reel within the clamp 13, a roller 44 is mounted in a similar manner and a projection 44' thereof engages in a corresponding notch 44a, and is displaced to a greater or lesser degree relative to the center of the clamp under the action of the handle 40.

It will be appreciated that each clamp may thus be adjusted according to the size of the reel, and always holds the reel centered relative to the elements of the machine.

A radial opening or slot 45 is formed in the base of each clamp 13 to enable the extraction element 24 to enter the clamp and remove the finished reel from the machine.

This invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity to the showings in the drawings but changes or modifications may be made therein so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An automatic machine for wrapping a wrapper around a reel having a centrally located aperture in one end thereof with portions of the wrapper projecting beyond such one end, comprising means for conveying a reel to a substantially horizontal position, means for positiom'ng a wrapper sheet in cooperative relation with the other end of the reel, an annular device provided with resilient radial brushes located in axial spaced relationship to the reel and wrapper sheet, horizontally movable movement imparting means located in substantially axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the reel for moving the reel and wrapper through said annular device whereby said radial brushes cause said sheet to wrap around the reel with portions thereof projecting beyond said one end of the reel, means in axial alignment with said annular device for deforming sinuously the projecting portions of the wrapper into a single tail, a clamping device in axial spaced relationship to said deforming means for receiving said reel and wrapper by continued movement of the movement imparting means, means for rotating said clamping device to position said reel and wrapper vertically with said single tail projecting upwardly, and punch means capable of movement toward and away from said reel operable upon forward movement to insert said single tail into the centrally located aperture in the reel.

2. The automatic machine as claimed in claim 1 further including means for ejecting said reel and wrapper from the clamping device after the single tail has been inserted into the centrally located aperture.

3. The automatic machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said deforming means includes two sets of spaced apart parallel blades, with said blades being arranged to intermesh by displacement thereof in opposite directions for deforming sinuously the projecting portions of the wrapper into a single tail.

4. The automatic machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said conveying means is arranged to insert reels into the machine step-by-step, and said conveying means further includes supporting sectors adjustably arranged to position a reel on the conveying means according to the size of the reel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,301,016 11/1942 Cannard 53204 2,700,855 2/1955 Ketchpel 53-227 X FOREIGN PATENTS 119,826 2/ 1956 Russia. 646,423 9/1962 Italy.

a THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner NEIL ABRAMS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 53-226 

